


Stewing in Guilt

by brokenmimir



Series: Swan Queen Week Summer 2016 [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Swan Queen Week Summer 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-08-07 06:09:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7703500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenmimir/pseuds/brokenmimir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Swan Queen Week Summer 2016, Prompt 1: Confessions<br/>Emma has a confession to make on Thanksgiving.  The guilt is eating her alive... but the food is so good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stewing in Guilt

The spread of food covering the huge dining room table was like nothing Emma had ever seen in person before. A dozen side dishes, several complete entrees (including Regina’s famous lasagna), freshly baked bread (several types, including mouth watering garlic bread), and at the center of the table, an enormous stuffed turkey, perfectly browned and looking like something from a television commercial.

“Whoa, mom, there’s so much!” Henry said, a grin on his face.

Regina stood in the doorway, smirking slightly as she took in Emma and Henry’s reaction to the enormous feast she had spent the day preparing. Despite the hot, tiring work slaving away in the kitchen since the crack of dawn Regina was dressed to the nines, ready to entertain.

Emma’s smile faded as she looked at Regina, the subtle guilt that had been eating away at her coming to a boil. She was a terrible person, but the food smelled so good that she couldn’t help but return her gaze to it. She would tell Regina what she did after.

“Well, sit down!” Regina said.

Emma quickly did so, and immediately reached for the plate of lasagna. The cheese was still perfectly gooey as she served a slice, and she began piling her favorite side dishes next to it. It was hard to decide which ones to get – everything was perfect, and Regina had made all of her and Henry’s favorites.

Little conversation was made during the meal. Emma and Henry stuffed their faces, eating plate after plate until finally Emma threw in the towel, leaning back in her chair and loosening the top button of her jeans, silently bemoaning the tight fit. Normally she liked the way they looked, but she should’ve worn something more comfortable on Thanksgiving, especially with Regina cooking her heart out.

Thinking about that made Emma’s guilt come roaring back, and she looked across the table at Regina, who was barely picking at her food. “Um, Regina?”

“Yes, dear?” Regina said, avoiding eye contact.

“I’ve, um, I’ve got something to confess,” Emma said.

“So do I,” Regina said solemnly.

Emma swallowed, a sick feeling making her overfull stomach churn. She was terrified of whatever Regina might say next. Memories of past families rejecting her filled her mind for a moment, and she had to grip the table to avoid getting to her feet and running away. Suddenly she blurted out her secret, wanting to delay whatever Regina was going to say. “I sabotaged my parent’s car.”

Regina paused, her face shocked. “You _what?_ ”

“I stole a spark plug,” Emma confessed.

“Why?” Regina asked.

“I didn’t want mom to spend another family holiday looking down at us for being together,” Emma said. “I know it means a lot to you that you’ve buried the hatchet, but ever since we started dating last year she gets this disapproving look on her face whenever she sees us together. I just... I just didn’t want to see her today. Please don’t be mad.”

Regina chuckled. “I was going to confess that I made a fake emergency that should keep your father busy around now. It’s why he and Snow didn’t eat with us. They won’t be available for at least another hour.”

“Oh,” Emma said.

“I see how the way she looks at us bothers you, so I thought I would make this holiday just the three of us,” Regina said. “I’m glad that you’re not upset.”

Emma grinned, relaxing for the first time since that morning. “Just goes to show how much we belong together.”

“Get a room you two,” Henry said.

“Are you angry with us?” Regina asked him. Emma bit her own lip in worry about how her son would take their deceptions to keep his grandparents away.

Henry snorted. “I paid Ruby five bucks to keep Snow from being able to make it.  So, what's for dessert?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, confession time – I haven’t watched the entire last season of Once, so this week is going to be based upon outdated show knowledge. Also, my lack of freshness with the characters made me put off writing until this morning, so I just wrote this in an hour. Sorry about both the shortness and general lack of quality.


End file.
